'Even if you don't pay me I'll still come' - Nare wins SPAR Grand Prix as Makatisi gets first podium

Having wrapped up a third consecutive SPAR Grand Prix with a race to go, Tadu Nare underlined her status as the queen of the road. Beaming a quiet confidence as she sat in the press conference after winning yesterday's SPAR Women’s 10km Challenge in Tshwane in 32:57, the Ethiopian was asked why she keeps returning to the 10km series despite attracting interest from European race organisers. Her answer, left some of South Africa’s most seasoned media professionals smiling from ear to ear.

"I ran my very first international race in South Africa and it was this one - the SPAR Grand Prix. It's very close to my heart and it's something that I hold dear to me. To be honest with you, even if you don't pay me I'll still come. It's not about that anymore because it's one of the best things that I have and I don't want to let go. I want to keep running, because I want to be part of this amazing family and that's what makes me happy and that's what makes me keep coming back," she smiled.

Her dominant performances over the first five legs of the six-part Grand Prix series have also raised the SA standard as local runners try time and again to chase down Nare and her Nedbank Running Club compatriot Selam Gebre who was secured a fifth second place in the nation's capital in a time of 33:50. For example yesterday KZN-based Lesotho athlete Blandina Makatisi and Cian Oldknow battled it out for third place as Makatisi secured her first ever SPAR Grand Prix podium finish (34:15), just two second ahead of her Hollywood Athletic Club competitor.

2023 has been an amazing year for Makatisi that has seen her improve her 10km personal best to 32:18 thanks to a fourth place finish during the Durban leg of the SPAR Grand Prix in June - a performance which came just three weeks after she had set a new 21km national record of 1:09:45 at the Nelson Mandela Bay Half Marathon. Running in the colours of Maxed Elite, the woman who represented The Mountain Kingdom at the 2022 Commonwealth games where she took eighth place in the marathon says her new coach must take credit for her tremendous improvement this season.

"My preparations have been going well ever since I met Mr Martin Ngwenya. Our plan this year was to focus on the SPAR Grand Prix and even though it has been tough, I'm so happy with my third place finish today. This is all part of my preparation to run the World Championship marathon in Budapest. It isn't always easy to combine a marathon programme with 10km races but we took it as a part of my overall training."

2018 series winner Glenrose Xaba was fifth in 34:38, as her Boxer Athletic Club colleague Cacisile Sosibo took sixth (34:57). Irvette van Zyl continues her return to form after a long injury layoff - she was seventh in 35:05 as her fellow Hollywood Athletic Club top runner Rutendo Nyahora was eighth (35:36). Running in her first year as a senior and first race since returning from the Unites States 21-year-old Carmie Prinsloo secured her first ever SPAR Grand Prix top ten finish when she finished in ninth position in 36:00. The evergreen Lebo Phalula who is now 39 years old was tenth in 36:27.